Ukrainian authorities announced an air alert in the capital, Kyiv, on Wednesday morning, following the army’s withdrawal from Sieversk in eastern Ukraine and amid escalating attacks that have resulted in casualties on both Ukrainian and Russian sides, as well as a car explosion in Moscow. President Volodymyr Zelensky described talks with the United States on ending the conflict as productive, noting progress toward establishing a framework to achieve a real resolution to the war.
The air alert came hours after Ukrainian forces pulled back from the small city of Sieversk in Donetsk region under sustained Russian pressure, which has particularly targeted energy infrastructure just two days before Christmas. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Army stated via Telegram that the withdrawal was made to ensure the safety of troops and maintain combat unit readiness, highlighting Russia’s significant numerical and equipment advantage despite suffering heavy losses.
Russia had declared control over Sieversk two weeks ago, one of the last Ukrainian strongholds before the key cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, which remain under Ukrainian control. Sieversk holds strategic importance as part of the defensive line protecting the last major urban area in the Donbas region under Ukrainian control.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported that three civilians were killed and others injured in Russian shelling of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. Russia conducted widespread attacks with 635 drones and 38 missiles, of which Ukraine intercepted 587 drones and 34 missiles, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
On the security front, Russian authorities reported that two traffic police officers were killed in a car explosion on Yasenevaya Street in southern Moscow, following another blast two days earlier that killed General Vanel Sarvarov of the Russian General Staff. The Russian Defense Ministry also announced control over two towns in Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv regions.
Politically, Zelensky emphasized the importance of joint pressure on Russia to achieve peace, noting that discussions with the U.S. had produced drafts and a framework aimed at ending the war effectively. His stance was echoed by Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, who called for collective force through NATO to compel Moscow to accept peace.
